Houston Rallies for War Abolition

By Lee Lo

August 3 in Houston, TX from 6P to 8P about 40 people sang songs of peace at a Peace Sing-Along & Picnic. It was patterned after the similar activities that happened here from 1986 (on Aug. 3, by the way) to 1996 at “sunrise”. The peace singing began in Hiroshima/Nagasaki and as the  world turned, the sun was greeted by people singing songs of peace. Because of the heat, we chose the cooler evening for this activity. I updated a songbook for the occasion.

Taking a cue from David Swanson, who has asked “what if we dislike war like we dislike cancer?” and suggested we use the color blue as our statement against war, we gave everyone a sky-blue ribbon (the Afghan Peace Volunteers have pointed out that there is “One Blue Sky Over Us All” as they wear their blue scarves to say “We Can Live Without War”– see vcnv.org), and also handed out magnetic bumper stickers which say “SUPPORT OUR TROOPS/BRING THEM HOME”.  It was unanimous that we make this an annual event! It will be held on the grounds of the Live Oak Friends Meeting again.

This is where we got our ribbons: 250 ribbons w 250 safety pins for $20. Check it out and let’s turn the nation blue! Organized by Lee Loe, Grandmother for Peace & Sustainability  ---> Awareness Ribbons   ---  The Ribbon Factory